than have been heretofore adopted. The allowing of bands of guerrillas to encamp in the neighborhood without giving information of the fact, the firing upon pickets, the feeding of parties who are hiding from our forces and the carrying of information to and from the enemy have become matters of daily occurrence. It is therefore ordered II. That any neighborhood, town or village that allows marauding bands or guerrillas to remain or camp near them without immediately sending word to the nearest military post will be levied upon, and a certain portion of the property of all known sympathizers of this rebellion that can be used by the U. S. forces, to be determined by the commander of the division, will be taken, and the citizens will be held personally responsible for the acts of the band. Where pickets are fired into the sympathizers of the rebellion being near the place will be arrested and held until the guilty party is brought to light, and when any injury is done the picket there will be assessed upon the disloyal citizens living near the place an amount not exceeding $10,000, as the commanding general may determine. III. Citizens who encourage returned soldiers and deserters to hide in the woods and form bands to return to the rebel army will be arrested and held responsible for all depredations committed by these bands; and when it comes to the knowledge of any of the commanders of posts of this command that returned soldiers or deserters are lurking about, hiding and not coming forward as required they will arrest and hold for hostage the nearest disloyal relative to the soldier, such person to be held as hostage till the soldier delivers himself or is delivered up. IV. Any person, white or black, free or slave, who brings reliable information of guerrilla bands, marauding parties and of citizens who are breaking any provisions of this order, which information proving to be of benefit to the U. S. forces, will receive a liberal reward. If a slave he will be guaranteed against receiving punishment for bringing such information. By order of Brig. Gen. G. M. Dodge: GEO. M. REEDER, Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: The inclosed* requisition of Capt. A. A. Gibson, Second Artillery, commanding at Fort Delaware, for a safe and asking the erection of a bakery is respectfully referred to you. The case of the bake-house ought to be paid out of the savings of the prisoners' rations. A safe if provided should be paid for in the same way. By order: E. S. SIBLEY, Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, and Deputy Quartermaster-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, July 27, 1862. Adjutant-General THOMAS. GENERAL: You will please act as agent for the exchange of prisoners of war on the part of the United States under the agreement between Major-General Dix and Major-General Hill. You will take measures to have the prisoners in the East transferred for exchange at Aiken's, on the James River, and those in the West to be exchanged at or near Vicksburg as agreed upon. You will communicate with General McClellan and inform him of your directions and the measures you are taking to execute the agreement. Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. SIR: The Secretary of War directs that you provide to-day if pos sible transports to take the prisoners of war from Fort Delaware to Aiken's, on the James River, to be exchanged. There are from 3,000 to 4,000. I am, sir, &c., E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a communication from General R. E. Lee dated the 24th instant, received by a flag of truce, together with a copy of my reply, and I respectfully request that the War Department will furnish me at the earliest possible moment with the information necessary to answer General Lee's inquiries respecting the confinement of Captain Walker, lately commanding the steamer Theodora, who is said to be in irons. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, [GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,] Major-General, Commanding. [Inclosure No. 1.] HEADQUARTERS Department OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Commanding Army of the Potomac. GENERAL: Information of a trustworthy character has been received that Capt. George D. Walker, of Wilmington, N. C., lately commanding the steamer Theodora, who was captured with his vessel and a cargo of arms and ammunition by the U. S. Blockading Squadron off Cape Fear, is kept in irons in Fort Columbus. Having no knowledge of the case beyond this report I am directed to request that you will cause inquiry to be made and give me information of the facts. The arms and ammunition on board the Theodora were intended for the use of the Government of the Confederate States. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, [Inclosure No. 2.] General R. E. LEE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Commanding Army of Northern Virginia. GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 24th instant in regard to the reported confinement in irons of Capt. George D. Walker, lately commanding the steamer Theodora. In reply I have the honor to state that I have no information in regard to this matter but will at once forward a copy of your letter to the War Department, with the request that the facts in the case may be made known to me and I will promptly acquaint you with the answer to my inquiry. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, GENERAL ORDERS, Į HDQRS. FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA, No. 14. Sperryville, Va., July 27, 1862. In accordance with General Orders, No. 11, from Headquarters Army of Virginia, the provost-marshal of the First Corps d'Armée, assisted by the provost-marshals of divisions and independent brigades, will immediately proceed to have arrested all male inhabitants within and near the lines of this corps. He will send to these headquarters the names of all such persons, with their age, occupation and place of residence, who are unwilling to take the oath of allegiance to be disposed of by the commander of the corps. A list of the persons arrested who have taken the oath and of those who have refused to do so has to be filed in the office of the assistant adjutant-general of the corps. By command of Maj. Gen. F. Sigel: T. A. MEYSENBURG, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Major-General MCCLELLAN, U. S. Army, Harrison's Landing, Va.: Transports have been ordered to Fort Delaware to convey the pris oners of war to Aiken's. By direction of the President I have been appointed agent of the United States for the exchange of prisoners under the agreement between Generals Dix and Hill. I shall accompany the prisoners from Fort Delaware. L. THOMAS, HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, Chicago, July 27, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. COLONEL: Ten of the prisoners who escaped on the evening of the 23d have been recaptured, and one, a lad named Charles Ellis, Twen tieth Mississippi, returned and gave himself up. No new facts have been developed from their examination. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOSEPH H. TUCKER, Colonel Sixty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, Commanding. QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL's Office, Col. GEORGE H. CROSMAN, Deputy Quartermaster-General, Philadelphia, Pa.: The Secretary of War directs that transports be provided to-day if possible to convey prisoners of war from Fort Delaware to Aiken's, on the James River, to be exchanged. There are 3,000 or 4,000. Can steamers be procured in Philadelphia? If so charter and dispatch to Fort Delaware at once. Reply immediately. E. S. SIBLEY, Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, and Deputy Quartermaster-General. Col. JAMES BELGER, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Quartermaster, U. S. Army, Baltimore, Md.: Are there any chartered steamers in Baltimore that you can dispatch to Fort Delaware this afternoon to transport prisoners of war from thence to James River? If not are there any that you can charter for the purpose? Reply by telegram at once how many of either kind can be started. E. S. SIBLEY, Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, and Deputy Quartermaster-General. QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Capt. GRIER TALLMADGE, Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. Army, Fort Monroe, Va.: How many steamers can be spared from Fort Monroe to transport prisoners of war from Fort Delaware to James River to start at once on notice being given? Is the Vanderbilt at Fort Monroe and ready for sea? Answer by telegraph as soon as this dispatch is received. E. S. SIBLEY, Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, and Deputy Quartermaster-General. FORT MONROE, July 27, 1862. General MEIGS, Quartermaster-General: There are now three steamers here capable of bringing from Fort Delaware to this place 2,700 prisoners. Coatzacoalcos 900, Atlantic 900 and Merrimac 900. The Coatzacoalcos can go up James River. The other two can transfer their passengers here to river boats. The above estimate is rather under than over. The Vanderbilt has not yet returned from New York. GRIER TALLMADGE, Capt. W. W. MCKIM, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. Army, Boston, Mass.: Can you charter steamers to start at once with prisoners of war at Fort Warren for James River? Reply on receipt of this dispatch. By order: E. S. SIBLEY, Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, and Deputy Quartermaster-General. Major-General HALLECK: SAINT LOUIS, July 27, 1862. On recommendation of General Schofield have paroled S. H. Colms, major First Battalion Tennessee Infantry, ranking as colonel, to go to Sparta, Tenn. He wants to be exchanged for Colonel Minter, Eighteenth Missouri Volunteers. Major Colms' address is care McClure, Buck & Co., Nashville, Tenn. Colonel Minter is here. B. G. FARRAR, Provost-Marshal-General. His Excellency the PRESIDENT: WASHINGTON, July 28, 1862. I inclose certain papers in regard to certain Iowa troops taken prisoners at Shiloh, since paroled and now at Benton Barracks. The difficulty between them and the officers there is very unfortunate and will have a bad influence on recruiting in our State. It will be some time before they can be exchanged. Cannot orders be sent releas ing them from any duty until exchanged or sending them to Davenport, Iowa, to occupy the Government barracks there until exchanged? They have not been paid since January 1, but I think I have arranged for that to-day. Please give this matter early attention. SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD. [Indorsement.] JULY 29, 1862. Respectfully submitted to the War Department. [Inclosure No. 1.] A. LINCOLN. BENTON BARRACKS, Saint Louis, Mo., July 12, 1862. His Excellency SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD, Governor of Iowa. SIR: We the undersigned, paroled prisoners, members of the Eighth Iowa Regiment, desire to make the following statements concerning our treatment since the battle of Shiloh: April 6 we arrived on the battle-field between 8 and 9 o'clock a. m. and were surrounded and completely cut off at 2 o'clock p. m. so we have been told, but were not taken prisoners until twenty minutes past 5 o'clock p. m., when we were overpowered by superior numbers. After an imprisonment of no ordinary severity, hardships and indignities of which few if any could form a correct opinion without being placed |